2017 Audi A6 3.0T Competition vs. BMW 540i Review, Sport-utilities are consuming to the premium-mid-size-sedan market share for many years, but though these sedans are outsold by their SUV counterparts two to 1, the upscale three-box is not dead just nonetheless. It even now accounts for almost 190,000 yearly product sales in the U.S. plus the gamers are nearly too several to review. Almost.

2017 Cadillac CTS V-Sport, Jaguar XF S AWD, Mercedes-AMG E43 4MATIC

So, ahead of the four-door sedan goes the way in which with the sedan chair, we thought we’d investigate the proliferation of turbocharged and supercharged six-cylinders in the premium-mid-size-sedan segment. Much sportier than an SUV, these automobiles ideally mix ­luxury vibes and sporting driving dynamics right into a excellent day by day driver. Winning this check comes right down to how very well an automobile balances just about every side of that ledger.

Eight candidates met our first criteria, though we decided that Lincoln’s new ­Continental is far more of a luxury car or truck than a sports activities sedan. The Genesis G80 Sport, a G80 with all the larger G90’s 365-hp twin-turbocharged V-6, would probably have played very well here, nevertheless it does not go on sale to get a couple of extra months. Of your 6 that remained, there are only five within this test: We asked for a Maserati Ghibli with the eleventh hour, and also the only one out there (a loaded S Q4 touching $100,000) was deemed also highly-priced.

In the 5 competitors, 1 in the newest will be the 396-hp ­Mercedes-AMG E43 4MATIC. Determined by the brand new E-class, the E43 occupies the divide involving the 241-hp turbocharged four-cylinder of the E300 as well as 603-hp twin-turbocharged V-8 inside the E63 S. An E43 commences at $73,325, but our check automobile tallied up a test-high tab of $91,175. Of that total, we could easily have eradicated $7830 by forgoing the optional Cardinal Red paint, metallic in­teri­or trim, blacked-out exterior trim, ventilated front seats, AMG steering wheel, plus the Burmester stereo. None of those extras increases the E43’s inherent appeal, and none of them alters the driving experience.

Crossover sport-utility motor vehicles might have stolen the revenue thunder from sports activities sedans, but that does absolutely nothing to reduce our affection for that class.

2017 Audi A6 3.0T Competition vs. BMW 540i - Interior:

On the other finish on the rate scale could be the Audi A6 3.0T Quattro. Undefeated in its previous two comparison exams, the A6 underwent a mid-cycle refresh for 2016 that brought new front and rear fascias, Apple CarPlay compatibility, and in-car Wi-Fi. New for 2017 is the Competition package deal that brings a sport suspension, a torque-vectoring rear differential paired with wheels and tires borrowed in the S6, 7 additional horses for the supercharged V-6 (for any total of 340), along with the interior and exterior flair in the S6. In reality, we debated together with the 450-hp V-8-powered S6, which might be had for less than $80,000, but decided to maintain the test to six-cylinder versions. Even though the A6 is starting to come to feel its age, forgoing the S6 helps make the Audi the least costly automobile on this melee, with an as-tested rate of $72,175.

No check of this section would be comprehensive with no a BMW 5-series. Redone for 2017, the seventh-gen 5-series now goes through the internal code G30 and, in 540i guise, attributes the latest BMW inline-six, the 335-hp single-turbo B58. The 540i’s beginning value could be the lowest with the group at $57,445, but piling about the packages and person alternatives inflates the cost to an as-tested $82,610. As together with the Mercedes, it’s fairly easy to carry down the Bimmer’s sticker by skipping extras such since the $4200 Bowers & Wilkins audio system, $750 remote-control parking, $650 ceramic controls, and $600 soft-close doors. And we’d happily save the $190 it costs to make it possible to wave your hand on the instrument panel to adjust the volume.

2017 Audi A6 3.0T Competition vs. BMW 540i - Features:

Redesigned last year, the Jaguar XF now finds itself in its first comparison test. The second-gen XF bears far more than a passing resemblance to its predecessor, but it’s the Jag’s aluminum-intensive unibody that’s unique in this segment. We do find it a bit strange that the liberal use of aluminum doesn’t extend to the XF’s steel doors and trunklid. Under the hood is a supercharged three.0-liter V-6 that’s basically the brand’s V-8 engine minus a couple of pistons. To fight the good fight, Jaguar sent us the XF S with all-wheel drive. In S guise, the output of the V-6 rises from 340 horsepower to 380. All in, our XF S ran $77,535.

And finally, a fair look at this segment would have to include the Cadillac CTS V-Sport. A former 10Best winner as well as the most power­ful of this quintet, with a 420-hp twin-­turbocharged 3.6-liter V-6 underhood, the Cadillac’s handling is as sharp as its sheetmetal. To get the features and rate up to parity together with the others, we opted to the Premium trim level that starts at $71,790. Add inside the $3000 Carbon Black package deal that brings Recaro seats and blacked-out wheels and trim, plus a few other options, plus the total comes to $75,885.

With five dressed-up sedans and no place to go, we chose to head toward the warmth of Palm Springs, California, to shake them down inside the mountains that border the sleepy town. After several days and virtually 1000 miles, these five four-doors with so a lot in common on paper revealed their vastly different personalities.